Yarn guide means for circular warp knitting machine

ABSTRACT

THE CIRCULAR WRAP KNITTING MACHINE IS PROVIDED WITH MAIN YARN GUIDING MEANS TO GUIDE BASE WRAP YARNS TO THE NEEDLES SO THAT A TUBULAR SEAMLESS BASE FABRIC IS FORMED OF INTERCONNECTED STITCH CHAINS. ADDITIONAL YARN GUIDE MEANS IN THE FORM OF THREE AUXILIARY YARN GUIDE DEVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR SELECTIVELY KNITTING FLOATING AND INLAYING ADDITIONAL PATTERN OR FANCY YARNS WITH HE BASE WRAP YARNS IS SELECTED PORTIONS OF THE TUBULAR FABRIC TO FORM CLUSTERS OF DESIGNS, VERTICAL STRIPES, OR REINFORCEMENTS IN SELECTED PORTIONS OF THE FABRIC. THE THREE AUXILIARY YARN GUIDE DEVICES MAY BE OPERATED TOGETHER OR SEPARATELY TO FORM VARIOUS PATTERNS IN THE TUBULAR FABRIC.

March 16, 1971 F. s. NOGUES 3,570,258

YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7-, 1968 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l&\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\w V Fens-mac EDANFELJU Nocxuas INVENTOR.

BY M td 9 ATTORNEYS March 16, 1971 F. s. NOGUES 3,570,268

YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. '7, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

w 7 1 Ma l Q U I 5 mEEEMW M66zz, 1 w 4 mm ATTORNEYS March 16, 1971 F. s. NOGUES 3,570,258

YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. FEDER\C.O SANFELIU Noam Es ATTOR NEYS YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1968 March 16, 1971 F, s. NOGUES 5 Sheets-Sheet &

INVENTOR.- FE1 E\2\Q0 SANFEUU Noeues B w zz, WM WW ATTORNEYS March 1971 F. s. NOGUES ,570,

YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 7, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 wa t M 100 101 )07 O lO5 )O8 I08 INVENTOR. FEDEEJCO 5AM FE LuJ NOGUES ATTOR NEYS United States Patent Oifice 3,570,268 YARN GUIDE MEANS FOR CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE Federico Sanfeliu Nogues, Avenida Generalisimo Franco 606, Barcelona, Spain Filed Nov. 7, 1968, Ser. No. 773,995 Int. Cl. D04b 25/02 US. CI. 66-81 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The circular warp knitting machine is provided with main yarn guiding means to guide base warp yarns to the needles so that a tubular seamless base fabric is formed of interconnected stitch chains. Additional yarn guide means in the form of three auxiliary yarn guide devices are provided for selectively knitting floating and inlaying additional pattern or fancy yarns with the base warp yarns in selected portions of the tubular fabric to form clusters of designs, vertical stripes, or reinforcements in selected portions of the fabric. The three auxiliary yarn guide devices may be operated together or separately to form various patterns in the tubular fabric.

This invention relates generally to the knitting of seamless tubular fabric on a circular warp knitting machine, and more particularly to improved yarn guide means for such a machine which is operated to form various knit, float and inlay patterns in the fabric.

A seamless tubular fabric is knit on a circular warp knitting machine by guiding one or two sets of warp yarns to the needles as they are simultaneously raised and lowered to form walewise stitch chains which are connected by laps crossing from one stitch chain to another. The warp yarns of each set are usually fed through guide rings so that the warp yarns of a particular set are each fed to the needles in the same manner. This yarn guide system does not permit many difierent patterns to be knit because the warp yarns of each set must be fed to the needles in the same manner.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved yarn guide means for a circular warp knitting machine which includes means for feeding additional pattern or fancy yarns to certain of the needles during the knitting of selected portions of the tubular seamless fabric to form a wide variety of patterns in the fabric.

With the yarn guide means of this invention, additional pattern or fancy yarns may be knitted, floated or inlaid with the base warp yarns in selected portions of the fabric to form various patterns, such as in clusters of designs, markings, vertical stripes, reinforced areas, and the like.

In accordance with the present invention, the additional yarn guiding means includes three auxiliary yarn devices which operate independently of the base yarn guide rings and which may operate together or separately relative to each other. The first and second auxiliary yarn guide devices are each oscillated concentric with the needle circle. The third auxiliary yarn guide device is oscillated concentric with the needle circle as well as radially of the needle circle so that the additional yarns may be passed between the needles and the yarns fed to the back or front of the needles.

Generally, the first auxiliary yarn guide device includes a support ring positioned for concentric oscillation above the needle cylinder with individual yarn guide fingers supported at selected positions on the support ring and having lower yarn feeding guide portions positioned closely adjacent the needle circle. The individual yarn guide fingers are clampingly supported on the support ring so 3,570,268 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 that they may be readily moved to various radial positions to align them with selected needles. Oscillation is imparted to the support ring by means of a rotating cam wheel which has a cam surface adapted to engage the lower end of a control lever that is connected at its upper end to the support ring.

The second auxiliary yarn guide device includes a yarn guide ring supported for concentric oscillation above the needle cylinder. Groups of adjacent yarn guides are carried by the guide ring to feed additional pattern or fancy yarns to groups of adjacent needles during the knitting of selected portions of the fabric.

The third auxiliary yarn guide device includes a support ring positioned for concentric oscillation above the main yarn guide rings and the needle cylinder. A yarn guide finger control ring surrounds the support ring and is vertically movable to control the pivotal position of yarn guide support arms which are pivoted on the support ring. Yarn guide fingers are supported on the inner ends of the support arms and move back and forth between the needles along a radial path as the control ring is raised and lowered so that the additional pattern or fancy yarns may be fed to either the inside (back) or outside (front) of the needles. Pattern control means are provided for each of the three auxiliary yarn guide devices so that the auxiliary yarn guide devices may be operated separately or together.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the needle cylinder and illustrating the manner in which the three auxiliary yarn guide devices operate with the main yarn guide rings to feed the additional pattern or fancy yarns to the needles;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the machine, illustrating the first auxiliary yarn guide device, supported above the needle cylinder, omitting the other auxiliary yarn guiding devices and the main yarn guide rings, and illustrating the pattern control means for selectively oscillating the support ring;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the lower portion of FIG. 2, illustrating the mechanism for controlling the oscillation of the support ring;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the second auxiliary yarn guide device and illustrating the pattern control means for selectively imparting oscillation thereto; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the third auxiliary yarn guide device and illustrating the pattern control means for selectively imparting oscillation and radial movement thereto.

The machine includes a vertically sloted needle cylinder 10 supporting latch needles N for vertical movement therein. The needles N are simultaneously raised to yarn receiving position (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1) and lowered to stitch forming position by means of a vertically reciprocating sleeve, not shown, which surrounds the needle cylinder 10 and is operated by a suitable cam drive which is operated by a rotating main drive shaft 11 (FIG. 2). The main drive shaft 11 is supported in a frame 12 which supports a circular bed plate 13.

A seamless tubular warp knit fabric F (FIG. 1) is formed and drawn down through the needle cylinder 10 as the needles N move up and down and knit the warp yarns fed thereto. In the preesnt instance, two sets of warp yarns W-1 and W-2 are fed to the needles N by means of main yarn guide rings 15, 16. The guide rings 15, 16 are supported in any suitable manner above the needle cylinder 10 and surround the circle of needles N. The inner portions of the guide rings 15, 16 are provided with suitable guides to direct the respective sets of warp yarns W-1 and W-2 downwardly and inwardly to the needles N. The main yarn guide rings 15, 16 are oscillated relative to each other and to the needles N in a suitable manner to form the desired type of base fabric F. The sets of warp yarns W-l, W-2 form stitch chain on the needles which are connected by laps crossing from one stitch chain to another, in any suitable pattern.

Sets of warp yarn feed rolls 20, 21 and 22, 23 are positioned around the needle cylinder (FIG. 2) and are drivingly interconnected, as by bevel gears 24. Opposite ends of the warp yarn feed rolls -23 are rotatably supported in vertical end brackets 25 which are fixed on posts 26 extending upwardly from the circular bed plate 13 (FIG. 2).

A first auxiliary yarn guide device (FIG. 2) is provided to feed additional pattern or fancy yarns P1 to certain of the needles N to form vertical stripes, lines or marks in selected portions of the tubular base fabric. These vertical stripes may be used for ornamental purposes or they may be formed in the tubular fabric to identify the front and rear portions of the tubular fabric when the tubular fabric is cut into suitable lengths and used to form ladies stockings and the like.

This first auxiliary yarn guide device (FIG. 2) includes one or more individual yarn guide fingers 30 having a tubular yarn guiding lower end portion 31 (FIG. 1) which terminates at a point slightly outside of the needle circle and adjacent the upper limit of travel of the needles N. The upper end of each guide finger 30 is fixed to a support bracket 32 that is held in adjusted position on a support ring 33 by means of lock screws 34. The individual support brackets 32 and corresponding feed fingers 30 may be easily removed from and attached to the support ring 33 in the desired location so that they operate with any seletced needles in the needle cylinder.

The support ring 33 is supported for oscillation in guide blocks 35 which are in turn fixed on the upper ends of the end brackets 25 supporting the yarn feed rolls 20-23. The inner end of a lever arm 36 is operatively connected to the support ring 33 by means of an upstanding pin 37. The outer end of the lever -36 is fixed to the upper end of a vertical control shaft 38, the medial portion of which is support for oscillation in an upstanding bearing bracket 40. The lower end of the bearing bracket 40 is fixed on the outer ends of support arms 41 which are fixed at their inner ends on the frame 12 on the machine. A collar 42 is fixed to the shaft 38 and is provided with an adjustable stop screw 43 which limits counterclockwise movement of the shaft 38 and the support ring 33.

A lever arm 44 is fixed at one end to the lower end of the shaft 38 and a cam roller 45 is supported on the other end. The cam roller 45 is adapted to engage the outer peripheral face portion of a cam wheel 46 which is fixed on the main drive shaft 11. A cam 47 is fixed on the cam wheel 46 and normally engages the roller 45 to impart oscillation to the support ring 33. A tension spring 50 is connected at one end to the lever arm 44 (FIG. 3) and its other end is connected to a downwardly depending leg portion 41a of the support arm 41. The spring 50 is adapted to normally maintain the roller 45 in resilient contact with the rotating cam wheel 46 and the cam 47.

The additional pattern or fancy yarns P-1 are fed through each of the individual guide fingers 30 so that they are guided to and knit by the corresponding needles N as the support ring 33 is oscillated. The feed finger 30 preferably moves from one side of the corresponding needle to the other and forms a walewise extending vertical stripe, line or mark as the additional yarn P-l is knit in plated relationship with the base warp yarns W-1, W-2.

In order to stop oscillation of the support ring 33 and to thereby stop the knitting of the pattern yarns P-l, pattern control means is provided for holding the lever arm 44 in a fixed position with the cam roller 45 out of engagement with the cam 47 and the cam wheel 46. This pattern control device includes (FIG. 3) a lifting lock member 51 which is suitably supported for vertical movement on a fixed vertical support 52. An operating pin 53 is fixed at one end in the lower end of the vertical lifting member 51 and its outer end overlies the pattern links of a main pattern chain 54.

The lock member 51 is normally urged to a lowermost inoperative position by a tension spring 56 so that its upper end is below the level of the lever arm 44. A control pin 57 (FIG. 3) is fixed in one side of the member 51 and is adapted to at times be engaged by the upper end of a latch 58, the lower end of which is pivotally supported on a shoulder screw 60. A tension spring 61 normally urges the upper end of the latch 58 forwardly and out of alignment with the pin 57. A latch control bell crank 62 is pivotally supported on a fixed shaft 63 and the forwardly extending arm overlies the control pin 53 while the upwardly extending arm is provided with an adjustable abutment screw 65, the inner end of which is in alignment with but normally spaced from the upper portion of the latch 58. The locking member 51 is supported for limited vertical movement on the support 52 by shoulder screw 60, which passes through a slot in member 51, and a similar screw spaced near the upper end of member 51. The pattern chain 54 is provided with certain links hav- 1n low lugs 66 and high lugs 67 for controlling the operation of the lock member 51 and the oscillation of the support ring 33. When a low lug 66 of the pattern chain 54 moves beneath the pin 53, a slight upward movement s imparted to the locking member 51 so that the pin 57 1s raised out of engagement with the upper end of the latch 58 and the spring 61 then moves the upper end of the latch 58 forwardly so that the spring 56 may then pull the locking member 51 downwardly. With downward movement of the member 51, its upper end is no longer in engagement with the lever 44 so that the roller 45 then moves into engagement with the cam wheel 46 and the gam 47 so that oscillation is imparted to the support ring The amount of oscillation imparted to the support ring v33 is determined by the height of the cam 47 on the cam wheel 46. Usually, the support ring 33 is oscillated between opposite sides of a single needle N so that the pattern yarn P-l is fed to and knit on a single needle for the desired length of time.

When it is desired to stop oscillation of the support ring 33 and thereby stop knitting of the pattern yarn P-l, the high lug 67 on the pattern chain 54 moves beneath the pin 53 and raises the member 51 while also moving the bell crank 62 in a clockwise direction so that the screw engages and moves the latch 58 back beneath the pin 57. As the pin 53 moves off of the higher lug 67, the member 51 will move downwardly a slight distance until the pin 57 is engaged by the latch 58 so that the locking member 51 is supported with its upper end above the support 52, as shown in FIG. 3, to prevent movement of the lever arm 44 and to thereby stop oscillation of the support ring 33. Oscillation of the support ring 33 is stopped while the guide tube 31 of the feed finger 30 is positioned between adjacent needles so that the yarn P-l is merely floated in a walewise direction as stitch loops are formed from the main warp yarns W-1 and W-2 to knit the base fabric.

The second auxiliary yarn guide device is preferably utilized to feed a plurality of additional pattern or fancy yarnsP-Z to groups of adjacent needles for the purpose of providing a reinforced patch or area in the tubular fabric being knit. This reinforced patch may be used in forming welt, heel and/ or toe portions in selected locations along the tubular fabric.

This second auxiliary yarn guide device (FIG. 4) includes a guide ring 70 which is suitably supported for oscillation above the main guide rings 15, 16 (FIG. 1) and is provided with yarn guide openings in the form of guide tubes 71 (FIG. 4) for directing the pattern yarns P-2 downwardly and inwardly to the needles N. Where it is desirable toform a small square or rectangular area of reinforced fabric for use as a heel or toe pocket in a stocking, the guide tubes 71 will be grouped together around a portion of the guide ring 70 so that the pattern yarns P-2 will be fed to adjacent needles in a selected section of the needle cylinder. On the other hand, if it is desired to reinforce the complete circumference of certain portions of the tubular fabric, such as in the area to be used as the welt of a stocking, the yarn guide tubes 71 can be arranged completely around the guide ring 70. The guide ring 70 is oscillated concentric with the needle circle so that the yarns P-2 are fed to the needles only during the knitting of those portions of the tubular fabric where the reinforcing is desired and during the knitting of other portions of the tubular fabric, the guide ring 70 remains in a stationary or non-oscillating position so that the pattern yarns P-2 are guided down between the needles to form floats extending in a walewise direction inside of the fabric.

As shown in FIG. 4, oscillation is imparted to the guide ring 70 by means of teeth 72 which are cut in a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the guide ring 70 and which teeth mate with the teeth of a segment gear 73, fixed to the upper end of a shaft 74. The shaft 74 is suitably supported for oscillation in a bearing sleeve 75 and its lower end has a gear 76 fixed thereto. The teeth of the gear 76 mate with the teeth of a rack 97 which is supported for longitudinal sliding movement in brackets 78, fixed on the circular bed plate 13.

Operating quadrants 80, 81 have their inner ends positioned in overlapping relationship and are each pivotally supported on a shaft 82. The teeth of the quadrant 81 engage the teeth of a longitudinally slidable rack 83, one end of which is connected to the lower end of a pattern lever 84. The upper end of the pattern lever 84 is pivotally supported on a shaft 85 and the medial portion is provided with a suitable cam roller which successively engages the pattern links of a pattern chain 86. The pattern chain 86 is supported on and driven by a pattern drum 87 which is rotated in timed relationship to operation of the machine by a pinion 90 and a worm 91. The worm 91 is rotated by a sprocket 92 which is connected to the main drive shaft 11 by a suitable sprocket chain, not shown.

Pattern control means, to be presently described, is provided for coupling the quadrants 80, 81 together so that any reciprocating motion imparted to the rack 83 by the pattern lever 84 will be transferred to the rack 77. The gears 76, 73 are oscillated by the rack 97 to thereby oscillate the guide ring 70' in timed relationship to operation of the machine. The ring 70 is preferably oscillated back and forth in front of a single needle so that each of the yarns P-2 are fed to the same needle throughout the knitting of the reinforced area.

To stop oscillation of the guide ring 70, the connection between the quadrants 80, 81 is broken or severed so that no oscillation will be imparted to the quadrant 80 and the rack 97, although oscillation is still imparted to the quadrant 81. When the guide ring 70 remains in a stationary position, the yarns P-2 merely feed down between the needles and form walewise extending floats inside of the tubular fabric. Any suitable means may be provided for coupling and uncoupling the quadrants 80, 81. In the present instance, a locking pin 93 extends downwardly through an opening in the quadrant 80 and into a hole in the quadrant 81. The locking pin 93 may be raised vertically by any suitable pattern control means so that the quadrant 81 may operate without transmitting motion to the quadrant 80. As shown in FIG. 4, a solenoid 94 operates the locking pin 93 and is electrically connected to a suitable switch control, not shown. The switch control may be operated by suitable lugs on the main pattern chain 54, or form any other suitable pattern drum of the machine, not shown.

The third auxiliary yarn guide device (FIG. 5) is used to guide additional pattern or fancy yarns P3 to certain needles. The yarns P3 may be directed to the inside (back side) of the needles N or to the outside (hook side) of the needles, depending upon the timing of the oscillation and radial movement of the yarn feed fingers, relative to the vertical movement of the needles.

This third auxiliary yarn feeding device includes a support ring which is suitably supported for concentric oscillation above the main guide rings 15, 16 (FIG. 1) by any suitable means, such as spaced apart support brackets 101 (FIG. 5). Oscillation is imparted to the support ring 100 by means of teeth 102 in an outer peripheral section of the support ring 100 and a gear 103 which engages the teeth thereof.

The inner ends of yarn guide support arms 104 are pivotally supported on and oscillate with the support ring 100 and have downwardly extending yarn guide fingers 105 attached at their ends. The yarn guide fingers 105 have guide eyes at their lower ends to receive the pattern yarn P-3. The lower ends of the fingers 105 are positioned just below the upper level of travel of the books of the needles N, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Although three yarn guide fingers 105 are shown attached to the inner end of each of the support arms 104, it is to be understood that a greater or lesser number of feed fingers may be attached to each of the arms 104, if desired. Also, any desired number of the yarn guide support arms 104 may be supported around the ring 100. The outer ends of the support arms 104 are provided with rollers 106, which ride on and are supported by a yarn guide finger control ring 107. The yarn guide control ring 107 is supported for vertical movement on the upper ends of control posts 108, the lower ends of which are supported on any suitable type of cam means for raising and lowering the rings 107.

When the control ring 107 is lowered to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1, the yarn guide fingers 105 swing inwardly so that their inner feeding end portions are positioned slightly inside of the hooks of the needles N and the yarns P-3 are fed along the back side of the needles N, as oscillation is imparted to the support ring 100 to move the yarn fingers 105 concentric with the needle cylinder 10. When the control ring 107 is raised to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, the yarn feed fingers 105 swing outwardly in a radial direction between the needles so that their lower feeding ends are outside of the needles N, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. With the fingers 105 in this position, oscillation may be imparted to the support ring 100 to thereby move the fingers 105 concentric with the needle cylinder and thereby feed the pattern yarns P-3 to the hook side of the needles N.

Pattern control means is provided to selectively impart oscillation to the support ring 100. The pattern control means includes a longitudinally moveable rack 110 which drivingly engages a gear 111 that is fixed to the lower end of a shaft 112 and which has the gear 103 fixed to its upper end. The rack 110 is resiliently urged from right to left in FIG. 5 by a tension spring 113 and has a cam roller 114 on its left hand end.

The pattern lugs of a pattern chain 115 successively engage the cam roller 114 and reciprocate the rack 110 as movement is imparted to the pattern chain 115 by the pattern drum 87. A stop bunter 116 is supported for adjustment in an upstanding portion of the rack 110 and a pivoted control lever 117 is positioned so that one end may be lowered into alignment with the stop bunter 116 to thereby stop reciprocation of the rack 110 and oscillation of the support ring 100, when it is desired to discontinue feeding of the pattern yarns P3 to the needles N. The control lever 117 may be operated from any suitable pattern mechanism of the knitting machine, not shown, such as the main pattern chain 54. l

By the proper timing of the radial movement and the concentric oscillation of the yarn fingers 105, in relation to the vertical movement of the needles N, the pattern yarns P-3 may be fed to and knit on a single needle, or then may be knit to form clusters of pattern designs in certain portions of the fabric. Also, the pattern yarns P-3 may be fed to the inside of any desired number of needles so that the yarn P-3 forms coursewise floats extending between the stitch chains and laps of the main body or base yarns Wl and W2.

The first auxiliary yarn guiding device (FIG. 2) is preferably used to make single needle stripes or marks extending vertically of the tubular fabric as the pattern yarns P-1 are incorporated in the fabric with the main yarns Wl and W2. The second auxiliary yarn feeding device (FIG. 4) is preferably used to feed a plurality of adjacent pattern yarns P-2 to groups of adjacent needles in the needle cylinder for the purpose of forming reinforced areas in the tubular fabric. The third auxiliary yarn guiding device (FIG. is preferably used to feed pattern yarns P-3 to the needles in such a manner that they may be floated in a coursewise direction in the fabric. Each of the three auxiliary yarn guide devices are selectively operable according to predetermined patterns and they may operate separately or together and during the knitting of any selected portions of the tubular fabric.

By positioning the support ring 100 and the related parts, including the yarn feeding fingers 105, below the level of the other yarn feeding means, the yarn feed fingers 105 may swing inwardly and just inside of the hooks of the needles while they are in a lowered position. The support ring 100 may then be oscillated to feed the pattern yarns P-3 along behind the hooks of the needles so that an inlay is formed as the needles are raised. Thus, the three auxiliary devices of the present invention may be utilized to selectively knit, float or inlay additional pattern or fancy yarns so that they are incorporated in the base fabric.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth several preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

I claim:

1. A circular warp knitting machine adapted to knit tubular seamless fabric suitable for forming stockings and the like, said machine comprising (a) a circle of needles supported for simultaneous vertical movement in a needle cylinder,

(b) main yarn guide means supported for oscillation above said needles and being operable to feed main body warp yarns to the needles to form a base fabric of interconnected stitch chains,

(c) additional yarn guide means for feeding pattern yarns to selected needles to form stitch loops with both the main body warp yarns and the pattern yarns on said selected needles, and

,(d) pattern control means for selectively rendering said additional yarn guide means operable during the knitting of certain portions and inoperative during the kitting of other portions of the tubular seamless fabric.

2. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said additional yarn guide means (c) includes (1) a support ring positioned above said needle cylinder,

(2) means for oscillating said support ring concentrically of said needle cylinder,

(3) individual yarn guide fingers having lower yarn feeding guide portions, and

(4) means supporting said individual yarn guide 8 fingers in predetermined positions on said support ring to align them with selected needles.

3. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 2 wherein said oscillating means (2) includes (1) a cam wheel rotated in timed relationship with vertical movement of the needles, and

(2) lever means connected at one end to said support ring and having an opposite end engageable by said cam wheel to impart oscillation to said support ring and to said individual yarn guide fingers carried thereby.

4. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 3 wherein said pattern control means ((1) includes (1) a main pattern chain moving in timed relationship to movement of said needles, and

(2) latch means operable by said pattern chain for selectively maintaining said opposite end of said lever means of engagement with said cam wheel to prevent oscillation of said support ring and said individual yarn guide fingers during the knitting of certain portions of the tubular seamless fabric.

5. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said additional yarn guide means (c) includes (1) a yarn guide ring positioned above said needle cylinder,

(2) adjacent yarn guide means positioned around a selected portion of said guide ring for guiding pattern yarns to selected groups of adjacent needles, and

(3) means for oscillating said guide ring concentrically of said needle cylinder to form stitch loops with both the main body warp yarns and the pattern yarns and form reinforced areas in the tubular seamless fabric.

'6. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 5 wherein said oscillating means (3) includes (1) a pattern chain moving in timed relation to vertical movement of said needles,

(2) a first rack reciprocated by said pattern chain,

(3) a second rack spaced from said first rack,

(4) a pair of quadrants drivingly connecting said racks, and

(5) gear means drivingly connecting said second rack and said yarn guide ring.

7. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 6 wherein said pattern control means (d) includes means for selectively uncoupling the said pair of quadrants to disconnect the driving connection between said first and second racks and to thereby stop oscillation of said guide ring.

Is- A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 1 wherein said additional yarn guide means (c) includes (1) a support ring positioned above said needle cylinder,

(2) means for oscillating said support ring concentrically of said needle cylinder,

( 3) a yarn guide finger control ring surrounding said support ring,

(4) at least one yarn guide finger support arm pivoted at its inner end on said support ring and having an outer end in engagement with said yarn guide control ring,

(5) individual yarn guide fingers supported on the inner ends of said support arms and having lower yarn feeding portions, and

(6) means for raising and lowering said yarn guide control ring in timed relationship to vertical movement of said needles and oscillation of said support ring, the lower yarn feeding portions of said yarn guide fingers moving inwardly between said needles when said control ring is lowered and moving outwardly between said needles when said control ring is raised.

9. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 8 wherein said oscillating means (2) includes (1) a pattern chain moving in timed relation to vertical movement of said needles,

(2) a rack reciprocated by said pattern chain, and

(3) gear means drivingly connecting said rack and said support ring.

10. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 9 wherein said pattern control means (d) includes means selectively engageable with said rack for preventing reciprocation by said pattern chain and to thereby stop oscillation of said support ring during the knitting of portions of the tubular seamless fabric.

11. A circular warp knitting machine adapted to knit tubular seamless fabric suitable for forming stockings and the like, said machine comprising (a) a circle of needles supported for simultaneous vertical movement in a needle cylinder,

(b) main yarn guide means supported for oscillation above said needles and being operable to feed main body warp yarns to the needles to form a basic fabric of interconnected stitch chains, and

(c) additional yarn guide means for feeding pattern yarns to selected needles to form stitch loops with both the main body warp yarns and the pattern yarns on said selected needles, said additional yarn guide means comprising (1) first auxiliary yarn guide means for feeding at least one pattern yarn to a needle to form a walewise stripe in the fabric,

(2) second auxiliary yarn guide means for feeding groups of pattern yarns to at least one group 10 of adjacent needles to form reinforced areas in the fabric, and (3) third auxiliary yarn guide means for at times guiding pattern yarns between adjacent needles and selectively in front of and behind certain needles.

I12. A circular warp knitting machine according to claim 11 including pattern control means for selectively rendering said first, second and third auxiliary yarn guide 10 means operative during the knitting of predetermined portions of the tubular seamless fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 1,005,720 10/1911 Lawrence -2. 6681 1,485,056 2/1924 Speese 6681 1,949,439 3/1934 Wilcomb 66195 2,034,869 3/1936 Holmes et a1. 66135 2 3,429,147 2/1969 Perrier 66195 0 3,479,841 11/1969 Kitahara et al. 668X FOREIGN PATENTS 315 1878 Great Britain 668X 25 WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 66135 

